Potato-bagging device



J. J. BUEHLER.

POTATO BAGGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION mu) JAN. 10. 1919.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. '1. BUEHLER.

POTATO BAGGING DEVICE.

APPUCATION FILED JAN-10,1919.

' Patented Apr. 26, 1921*.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. J. B UEHLER.

POTATO BAGGING DEVICE.

APPLI CATl0N FILED JAN. 10. 1919.

Patented A r. 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/4(j/4/S momma 1.1. BUEHLER.

POTATO BAGGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION F|LE D JAN. 10, 1919.

1,376,249. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS,SHEET4.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. BUEIELER, OF ALLIAIICE, OHIO.

POTATQ-BAGGING DEVICE.

Application filed January 10, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. Bunnnnn, :1. citizen of th United of America, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State -.of Ohio, have invented new and useful improvements in Potato Bagging Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a device or apparatus for attachment at the rear of a conventional form of potato digger so that the potatoes are removed from the ground and the dirt shaken therefrom, they may be deposited in sacks instead of being dumped upon the ground as heretofore. To this end the invention comprises a suitable truck having a platform on which an attendant may stand, the platform also supporting a adapted to carry a sack with the mouth of the same distended. The frame is also provided with means for carrying a quantity of empty sacks, thus permitting the ready replacement of a filled sack with an empty sack.

Means are provided for attaching the truck to the rear of a potato digger and the latter by slight modifications in the form of additional structure readily attached serves to support thereto driving elevating apparatus by which potatoes received from the digger are conveyed to the waiting open sack.

Further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, durabl and effective in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and further objects appear in the following description wherein the invention is set forth in detail.

To the particular embodiment in which it is shown and described, the invention is not to be restricted. Continued use and practice may suggest certain desirable changes or alterations and the right is claimed to make any which do not deviate in scope from the subioining claims.

The same numerals of reference designate the several figures of drawings, wherein:

i igure 1 is a view in. side elevation of the improved device, and he rear end of a po tato digger to which it is attached.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame work of the truck and its attendant draft means.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Serial No. 270,528.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through the elevating mechanism by which potatoes are raised for convenience to the waiting sack.

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the discharge chute in which the upper end of the conveyer terminates.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the caster wheel of the truck and its correlated parts.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fl l.

inferring to the drawings, the invention is shown attached to a conventional form of,

potato digger, which embodies the traction wheels 1, the body portion generally designated 2, and the shaft 3 driving the rear roller of conveyer 4; on to which the potatoes are deposited after their removal from the grounc.

For the purpose of applying the invention the longitudinally extending members 5 are attached to the digger frame adjacent the top thereof, and these members extend rearwardly beyond the digger as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The extremities of these rearward extensions of the longitudinal members 5 have attached to them the braces 6 and these braces and the members themselves serve to support the two oppositely disposed curved plates 7 which serve to direct potatoes received from the conveyer 4 on to a second or elevating conveyor later to be described.

The be gin r device is carried on a suitable truelr and-the latter is drawn by the digger and to this end there is provided a suitable draft device comprising the two arms 8 which at one end are elevated or otherwise suitably secured to a member 9, the other ends of the two arms being spaced apart and attached to opposite sides of the digger body adjacent the bottom thereof. The member or block 9 is provided with holes 10 for the attachment of a clevis 11, the latter being engaged by a hook 12 carried at the end of a (shaped member 13, the free end of the legs of this Y-shaped member connecting with a pintle 14 with which the free extremities of the legs of a second Y-shaped member 15 pivotally connect. This Y-shaped member 15 is secured at the apex of a V-shaped channel iron frame 16 but is so positioned that it inclines at an angle downwardly from the said frame when the latter is in horizontal position. This V-shaped frame has attached on top of it a transversely disposed channel iron 17 at the ends of which the Z.- shaped arms 18 are attached, the latter 6X- tending laterally from the sides of the frame 16 and being formed with journals 19 at their extremities on which the wheels 20 are carried, the latter serving to support the frame 16. At the forward end of the frame, it is supported. by a caster wheel 21 journaled on a pintle and axle carried by a fork 22, the latter having attached to it a rod 23 which passes loosely through a hole 24: formed in the frame 16 in the apex thereof and through a fixed thimble 25 carried by the frame 16 and upstanding there on in alinement with the hole 24. The thimble 25 is supported at its upper end by a brace member 26 attached at theupper end of the thimble and at a suitable point on one of the arms of the frame 16. The rod 2-3 is angularly movable in the sleeve or thimble 25 and is precluded from longitudinal movement by nuts 27 and 28. The fork 22 by means of this construction is permitted to turn with the rod 2-3 as a pivot and thus the caster wheel 21 may swingangularly to adapt the truck comprising the frame 16 for turning movement.

A platform 29 is carried by the frame 16 and extends from the transverse member '17 to the rear ends of the frame, and the Z.- shaped arms where they bend to project laterally from the sides of the frame are secured to the latter and to the platform by suitable strap elements 30.

The frame 16, the wheels 20, the caster wheel 21 and their attendant parts comprise the truck element of the device, and this truck element is designed for the use of a bag attendant and for supporting empty bags and bagsheld open to be filled.

Therefore, there is mounted upon the truck at the forward end of the platform 29 a suitable bag supporting frame, the latter comprising the spaced standards 31 secured on top of the transverse member 17 and the diagonally disposed braces 32 connectin with the standards 31 adjacent their upper ends and connected also with the frame 16. A transverse member 33 in the form of a bar or pipe is supported at the upper ends of the two standards 31 and projects laterally from opposite sides of the truck to provide suitable arms on which empty bags may be hung within convenient reach of the bagging attendant in the operation of the invention. A rectangular open frame 3 1 is supported at the upper ends of the two standards and stands in an inclined plane above the transverse member 33, this open frame being equipped with a centrally disposed hook 35 on the top rail and with hooks 36 at the sides and adjacent the bottom rail.

A bag 37, indicated at dotted lines in Fig. 1 is easily attached to this frame by means of the hooks 35 and 36 and its mouth is thus held open for the reception of potatoes delivered by mechanism yet to be described.

Potatoes removed from the ground and carried to the rear of the digger by the con veyer t instead of being dropped on the ground as heretofore are delivered to a conveyor comprising the two side plates 38 disposed in diagonal plane and carried at their lower end upon a transverse shaft 89 journaled in opposite sides of the diger body 2. These diagonal plates 38 are supported at a substantially intermediate point by a supporting frame 40 attached to the outer faces of thetwo plates 7, and this frame serves further to give additional support to the two arms 8, chains 41 e tendinn' from the frame 40 to the arms serving this purpose. The side plates 38 at their lower ends are secured in spaced relative positions by means of: transverse plate 42-2 and at their upper ends are similarly held in spaced relation by the frames and 4%, these two frames supporting a guard plate 415, the function of which is made apparent hereinafter.

(in the shaft 39 between the two plates 38 there are carried suitable sprocket wheels over which chains 4-.6, are trained, these chains being also trained over sprockets 47 carried by a transversely disposed shaft 47' journaled in boxes 48 carried by the plates 38 at their upper end. These boxes 4-8 are provided with adjustable devices 49 for the obvious purpose of taking up slack in the chains 46. Carried by the chains at spaced intervals there are the transversely disposed plates 50 connected in. any suitable manner to certain of the links of the chains and these plates comprise the potato elevating or lifting means per ac. V

The two plates 38 and their attendant parts comprise the elevator mechanism frame, the bottom of which is formed of longitudinally extending rods 51, spaced at uniform intervals apart and having their lower ends attached in the transverse plate a2 and their upper ends encircling the shaft on which the sprocket wheels 46 are carried, these rods being positioned between the upper traveling; portion of the chains 46 and the down traveling portion of the latter, and

they obviously serve to prevent potatoes droppingthrough the elevating mechanism and at the same time allow for the shaking of all dirt from the gathered potatoes. Connected between the two plates 38 at their upper ends and depending therefrom is a substantially U-shaped frame 52, which supports a circular shaped chute 53 having opposed upturned flanges which extend for a portion of its periphery. A chute 54E pivotally connects at one end with this latter chute and is of tapering shape and formed for a portion of its length with a bottom composed of rods 55, the extremity of this chute lying upon that portion of the transverse member 33 contained between the standards 31. This chute 5%, therefore, connects with the mouth of the bag in which potatoes are to be deposited.

As a means for putting the elevator or conveyer comprisin the chains 46 and plates 50 in motion, the shaft 39 at one side of the digger body carries a sprocket wheel 56 and motion is tra s1 itted to this sprocket wheel and to the shaft through a chain 57 which is trained over a sprocket wheel 58 carried by the shaft 3 which is run by the conveyer 4, the latter, of course, being put in motion by appropriate operative connections with one of the wheels 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A shrouded sprocket wheel 58 serves to take up the slack in the chain 57. y

The pivotal connection between the chutes and which is indicated at 59 is directly above the rod 23, thus putting this ivotal connection directly above the pivot aoint of the caster wheel so that when the digger is turned an-d the elevating mechanism turned with it there may be no interference between the chute 53 and 54.

In order to support the upper section of the chains 46 longitudinal rails 60 are provided, and these are appropriately supported on the side plates 38 being preferably in the form of angle irons as shown, and so disposed. that the chains may slide on one flange of each of the said irons. This construction provides for keeping the plates 50 at a specified distance above the rods 51 when the plates are traveling upward.

In the operation of the invention, the digger removes potatoes from the ground as usual, and its conveyor transfers them to the rear of the machine. But the act of putting the digger in motion also puts the elevating mechanism in motion and causes the truck to be drawn behind the digger. The potatoes are, therefore, deposited on the plates 50 and are carried to the upper part of the elevating mechanism from which they are deposited into the chute 53 and thence into the chute 5e from which they are discharged into the bag carried on the frame 34, the attendant standing on the platform 29 to observe the operation and remove each bag as it is filled and to attach a new bag on the hooks 35 and 36 after the removal of thrown into the air so that they would no drop back into the chute 53.

Obviously when the digger and the ele vating mechanism are turned to be drawn in a new direction, the rod 23 and pivotal connection 59 serve as pivot points on which this turning may be effected without any binding upon the truck and the parts im mediately connected therewith.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a bagging device, a sack-holding frame mounted upon a truck and having means for supporting a sack with the mouth distended, an article elevating means, and a two-part discharge chute having its two sections pivotally connected together, one of the sections of the chute being carried by the said frame and the other section thereof pivotally connecting with the first said section and fixedly connected with the elevating means and embodying a circular-shaped element partially surrounded by upturned annular flanges and a U-shaped frame connecting said flanges with the elevating means.

2. In a bagging device, a sack-holding frame having means for supporting a sack with the mouth distended, an article elevating means consisting of an upper and lower shaft, chains carried by the shaft, carrier plates carried by the chains and disposed transversely with reference to said means, a transverse plate disposed between the two flights of the chains and above the lower shaft, and longitudinally disposed rods spaced from each other and disposed between the two flights of the chains and having their lower ends connecting with said vlate and the upper ends encircling the upper shaft, the said elevating means carrying at its upper end a discharge chute for the purpose specified.

3. In a bagging device, sack-holding frame having means for supporting a sack with the mouth distended, an article elevating means comprising a pair of moving chains and transversely disposed plates connected with the chains, a discharge chute connectin the upper end of said means with said frame for discharge into the sack of articles elevated by the said means, and a guard plate carried by the elevating means at its upper end and spaced from and disposed at an angle to said means, the discharge chute being disposed at an angle to said elevating means and the guard plate being disposed at an angle to said chute, whereby the impetus of articles raised by the means is arrested and said articles caused to drop into the chute for passage into the sack as herein shown and specified.

4:. In a bagging device, a truck, a sack (holding frame mounted upon the truck and he mouth distended, supporting wheels for the truck, a pivotally mounted caster wheel lat the forward end of the truck, an article elevating means, and a discharge chute com- ,having means for supporting a sack with prising two pivotally connected sections,

the said discharge chute being carried by the said elevating means and the said frame for the transfer ofarticles delivered from said means into a sack held by the said frame, the pivotal connection between the two sections of the chute being alined with the pivot point of the caster wheel for the useful purpose specified.

5. In a device of the kind described, a V- shaped frame, a caster wheel pivotally mounted at the apex or forward end of said frame, a transverse member positioned substantially intermediate the length of the frame, a platform mounted on said frame to the rear of the transverse member, 2- shaped arms connected with the transverse member and secured to the frame on top of the platform, supporting wheels journaled on the free ends of the arms, and

' draft means for the frame.

6. In a device of the kind described, a sack holding frame, a discharge chute having one end supported by the frame for the delivery from the chute into a sack held by the frame, articles received by the chute, and an article elevatin means comprising a pair of spaced side p ates, means for holding the plates in spaced relation, a rotatably mounted shaft passing through the said plates adjacent their lower ends, a second shaft rotatably supported adjacent the upper ends of the plates, means for driving the first said shaft, sprockets mounted on both shafts between the said plates, chains trained over said sprockets, transversely disposed plates connected between the two chains, longitudinally disposed rods positioned between the two said plates and extending the length thereof, the said rods being carried between the upper and lower sections of the said chains so that the transversely disposed plates pass in one direction above the rods and in the other direction below them, the upper ends of the first said plates being connected with the'remaining end of the chute, for the useful purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN J. BUEHLER. 

